Halo: Reach Forum
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Subject: A Detailed Analysis of Halo: Reach (TL;DR and Cookies Inside!)

In my honest opinion, Reach can be described in one word when compared to previous Halos. Different. This isn't always a bad thing, as minor tweaks and changes freshen up a game. The problem I see with Reach is that the changes made affected the core gameplay mechanics of Halo 1/2/3. It just isn't normal for most veteran players. The movement speed, grenade damage, armor abilities, etc. (the list goes on forever), are all some major changes from the core mechanics found in previous titles. In this post, I will outline many of my major qualms with Reach.



1. The DMR
Halo 2 and 3 are often dubbed as the best multiplayer games of the decade, and for good reason. Between these two fantastic games, the weapon sandbox stayed relatively the same. There were several tweaks, some new things like brute vehicles (Chopper <3) and equipment, but the weapon sandbox in both games is very close. This did a lot of good in multiplayer, because the veterans from Halo 2 had a much smaller change between games.

The problem with Halo: Reach, is that it had a very drastic change from Halo 3's weapons to Reach.The DMR is a hitscan weapon (instantly hits target the second you pull the trigger). The BR was not hitscan, and players had to lead their shots to be accurate at long range. This tends to break down the open maps with little or no cover, because I can shoot from teleporter to teleporter on Hemmorhage without having to lead my shots. This was never possible on Valhalla, Sandtrap, or any Halo 3 maps. Imagine if you could camp on the dune of Sandtrap and pick people off across the map! It would have broken the map completely!

In Reach, a team can win the entire game without even thinking about power weapons. Why? The DMR. The DMR has infinite range, and can be aimed with some skill, across any map in matchmaking. It also tears through vehicles like tissue paper (another thing not present in H3). The DMR IS a power weapon. Give it to a well coordinated team, and it's an easy win as well.



2. Objective
Halo: Reach has drifted towards being very slayer dominant. What I mean by this is that no matter what the gametype, most players will have a primary focus on getting kills and a secondary or even tertiary focus on getting the objective. Point being, the core focus of objective gametypes has been lost between Halo 3 and Reach.

I would say that 75% of my objective games turn into a bloodbath, with nether team making strong attempts towards the objective. Yes, there is almost always that ruffgonja-ing kid, who rushes the objective countless times, but I mean a full push as a team. Why go for a flag or capture a territory when you can sit nearby with your tank and destroy everyone? The reason players go for kills is because they are rewarded with each one they get. Every time you get a snipe, headshot, beatdown, assist, spree or multikill, a number pops up in the bottom corner saying something like, "+8cR." There is not a single reward for scoring the objective, aside from feeling good about yourself.

Unfortunately, presented with these options, any smart player will simply go for kills so they can go purchase things like lighting or gold visors or a knife on their shoulder. What do objective players get? Nothing, nothing but death with no reward.

But why in Halo 2/3 was this not a problem? People went for objectives all the time in those games! Its because the only way you could rank up in 2 and 3 was by winning. Trueskill goes up by winning, and experience goes up by winning. When you win objective games you are rewarded with a better rank in 2/3. 2 and 3 had incentive to win objective games while Reach has absolutely no incentive to win except for the satisfaction of winning.

So how can we reward people who go for objectives (as well as give people incentive to go for objectives)? It's simple:

1. Objective Daily and Weekly Challenges: Right now, challeges basically involve 3 things: kills, assists, and campaign mission completion. Nothing relating to objectives. If we have more objective challenges with large cR rewards, people will go for objectives. Such as:
a. Flagtacular!: Capture 3 flags today in multiplayer matchmaking (1200 cR).
b. Get Off My Cloud!: Rack up 200 points in KOTH gametypes today in multiplayer matchmaking (1000 cR).
c. Lawsuit: Detonate 3 bombs today in Assault gametypes in multiplayer matchmaking (1500 cR)
-If you believe that challenges don't affect gameplay just pay attention to whenever there is a jetpack multiplayer challenge, because most people use jetpacks during those games.

2. Objective Commendations: These of course are very similar to the challenges but they are long term so that even if there isn't a challenge, people will still go for objectives because they are consistently rewarded for it. Examples include:
a. Poor Yorick: Get Points in Oddball or Headhunter
b. Conquistador: Capture Territories in Territories
c. Star Spangled Banner: Capture Flags in CTF or Stockpile

If all of these are established, I guarantee that there will be a tremendous rise in objective play.



3. Stats
The addition of stats has slowly begun to consume much of this amazing community. I remember 7-10 years ago, when I would go to Battlefront 2 parties, or 007 Nightfire parties on the PS2, and we wouldn't care a bit about who had the most kill with what weapon. We played for fun back then. I feel that slowly, throughout the last several years, online statistics have begun to turn many players into ultra competitive, trash talking, K/D card pulling jerks. There is a definite line between being competitive and being an -blam!-.



4. Vehicles
One of the main staples in all of the Halo games is the variety of drivable vehicles. Honestly, I think this feature sets Halo apart from other games. Nothing is more fun than driving around a buddy in a warthog and watching the wheelmen medals stack up. Halo 3 had a nearly perfect balance between vehicle attack damage and vehicle health. No vehicle was particularly overpowered, but all of them had specific uses. Another major factor in the vehicle success in Halo 3 is that the maps always had a solid balance between vehicles and their counterparts.

My largest issue in Reach vehicles, is the fact that they are made, literally, out of construction paper. Vehicles can be a joke in big team battle, because a coordinated team can take down a vehicle with extraordinary ease. Warthog? 4 DMR's can rip through that in a matter of seconds. Banshee? I've seen that thing go down in less than 5 seconds because the enemy team all looked to the skies and used their DMR. In Halo: Reach, vehicles are imbalanced, with very high attack damage, and low health.



5. Remakes
Remaking a map works well between some games. It really does. Between Midship and Heretic, yes there was some change, but it still felt like Midship to me. That's because there were not many changes in core mechanics between Halo 2 and 3. Remakes almost never work, because of the diversity of sandboxes between games.

The open style of some maps worked great for Halo 1/2/3. But the BR/pistol did not have any of the range of the DMR. An open map generally played well back in the day. However, given the DMR, any open map with little cover instantly becomes a standstill. Players rarely go through the middle of the map, and those that do get slaughtered. When players cant use the middles of the map for infantry movement, the games, especially objective, become stagnant.

Good god..If you managed to actually read the entire thing, you deserve several cookies.
(::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)



TL;DR

1. The DMR ruins the game, due to it's ability to shoot players across the map.
2. Objective implementation was a failure in Reach.
3. Stats are turning too many players into ultra competitive idiots.
4. Vehicles are made out of construction paper.
5. Remakes do not typically work well, due to the diversity of weapon sandboxes between games.

Feel free to comment, leave an opinion, whatever, but keep it classy :)

  • 02.14.2012 1:53 PM PDT

Posted by: Recon Number 54
Life is a journey, if you spend all of it with your nose in your map, you may miss some of the best parts.


Posted by: Wumpa Warrior
1. The DMR ruins the game, due to it's ability to shoot players across the map.


Nope.

  • 02.14.2012 1:54 PM PDT

Herp derp.


Posted by: RustedEdge

Posted by: Wumpa Warrior
1. The DMR ruins the game, due to it's ability to shoot players across the map.


Nope.

  • 02.14.2012 1:56 PM PDT


Posted by: Gyarados121996

Posted by: RustedEdge

Posted by: Wumpa Warrior
1. The DMR ruins the game, due to it's ability to shoot players across the map.


Nope.

Why do you both think that? It kills map balance. If you actually read the entire post, you might gain some insight.

  • 02.14.2012 2:01 PM PDT

Fail post.. Why do people report these though.. *Sigh*

[Edited on 02.14.2012 2:20 PM PST]

  • 02.14.2012 2:04 PM PDT

GGGGGGggggggggggggGGGG


Posted by: Wumpa Warrior
Why was this thread locked? I see nothing that actually violates the code of conduct.. :/

It wasn't.

  • 02.14.2012 2:17 PM PDT


Posted by: Adamcunn

Posted by: Wumpa Warrior
Why was this thread locked? I see nothing that actually violates the code of conduct.. :/

It wasn't.

Yeah, I see that now. Still don't understand why people reported it but whatevs.

  • 02.14.2012 2:19 PM PDT
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This guy, Wumpa Warrior , is a genius, everything he says is true. I agreed with all of it.

  • 02.14.2012 2:50 PM PDT

the only part that actually made sense and is something that i think alot of people would want is what you stated in all of point 2, but adjust the TL;DR for point cause it doesnt match, but honestly everything you said about objective is perfect!

  • 02.14.2012 3:17 PM PDT

Posted by: Recon Number 54
Life is a journey, if you spend all of it with your nose in your map, you may miss some of the best parts.


Posted by: King Matthew
This guy, Wumpa Warrior , is a genius, everything he says is true. I agreed with all of it.


I'm not surprised.

  • 02.14.2012 3:18 PM PDT
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Posted by: RustedEdge

Posted by: King Matthew
This guy, Wumpa Warrior , is a genius, everything he says is true. I agreed with all of it.


I'm not surprised.


Good Joke

  • 02.14.2012 3:23 PM PDT


Posted by: MarkFanous
adjust the TL;DR for point cause it doesnt match, but honestly everything you said about objective is perfect!

Thanks, but I can't edit my post because *cough* SOME users reported me because I had a different opinion.
Posted by: RustedEdge
I'm not surprised.

Yet you still have yet to show a decent argument in favor of the DMR..

  • 02.14.2012 3:24 PM PDT


Posted by: aBlueBookshelf
1. Cross mapping is extremely difficult. If you're getting shot from across the map, you need to take different routes around the map and become a smarter player. Halo 3 started this and bloomy Reach allowed poor map movement even more. Now you have to be careful and smarter - which is a good thing. Don't overexagerate.

2. The primary focus in objective games is killing. You can't run a flag against a team that isn't dead. It's all about balancing running the flag and killing - with the focus on killing first. Learn how to play. The cR system sucks, this is nothing new. Everybody wins, even if they lose.

3. I find it fun to play for stats sometimes. Problem? Also Battlefront 2 collects stats. I'd know, my BF2 stats were godly compared to my Reach stats.

4. Vehicles suck.

5. I don't even know what to say to this. Sanctuary plays amazing with ZB - and that's a Halo 2 map. Halo 3 maps blew dick, so who cares how they played.

1. Disagreed, I can get a 7-10 bullet shot from tele to tele easily on Hemorrhage.
2. I definitely understand that, I have common sense. However, most full parties in BTB tend to score once and then spawn kill the rest of the game.
3. There is a difference between playing for stats and being a jerk about them. I've seen you pull the K/D card many a time on this forum, and quite frankly, K/D is just a way for egotistical people to superimpose their opinion.
4. Completely opinion based. I play almost all BTB, and vehicles belong there.
5. This entire post was made assuming vanilla or TU reach. MLG ZB Sanctuary is good though.

  • 02.14.2012 3:32 PM PDT

Reach makes me want to gargle gasoline whiling jerking myself off with sandpaper.

Why was this reported.....

  • 02.14.2012 3:36 PM PDT


Posted by: Defiance
Why was this reported.....

Some people *Cough* didn't agree with one point in the TL;DR, so they thought it necessary to report.

  • 02.14.2012 3:37 PM PDT


Posted by: aBlueBookshelf
1. Not against people who have a brain and are shooting back at you. It's overexagerated when people say how easy it is to cross map.

2. They did the same thing in previous games. However most of those kids are terrible and do it to better their stats to make up for their lack of skill.

3. Good players have good stats. Good stats don't make a good player though. So if you don't have good stats, I don't tend to take anything you say seriously.

4. I'm saying they suck - as in they're just bad in this game. Bullets now flip cars. AWESOME.

5. The maps still play well - the ones that were remade.

1., Meh, I find it much too easy to cross map people. I preferred both BR's from 2/3
2. While this is true, Reach has shifted not only me, but thousands of players, away from playing the objective. There should be some sort of reward.
3. You have a point, but we've argued about the K/D card before, so I'm gonna let it drop.
4. My perception was that you hated vehicles. Yes, in reach, vehicles are awful
5. Some maps. I think Hemmorhage plays terrible. Reflection is decent, Sanctuary is good.

  • 02.14.2012 3:43 PM PDT

Want a cool clan? Join FRAG!

Want a war sim? The best war sim in Halo, Forerunner Conflict.


Posted by: Wumpa Warrior
1., Meh, I find it much too easy to cross map people. I preferred both BR's from 2/3
H2 BR was hitscan and had the same range (maybe a little less, idk) as the DMR does now. Why wasn't cross mapping a problem in H2 then?

  • 02.14.2012 3:52 PM PDT

Posted by: aBlueBookshelf
1. I liked the H3 BR, but that's me.
2. We are completely agreed on that.
5. Indeed. I liked MLG reflection where red wasn't getting rockets every time.


Posted by: aBlueBookshelf
You didn't move like a fukcing paralyzed turtle back then.

This. I lol'd.


[Edited on 02.14.2012 3:58 PM PST]

  • 02.14.2012 3:57 PM PDT
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If you like Armor Lock, you are a troll.

1. Your analytical skills are awful.

2. If you're getting cross mapped killed all the time, theres a couple reasons why:
-You're not shooting back
-You're positioning is awful

Judging from how you analyze Halo, it's a mixture of the two.

I'm assuming from your post that you play the terrible playlists (everything but MLG) so you shouldn't have any problem with cross mapping. The bloomed DMR has a horrendously long kill time, so if you get 5'd across the map EVER, you're doing something wrong. Most of the time, it'll be a 6-8 shot anyway, and given that I'd say you have at least 3 seconds to get away. Unless you're spinning in circles not moving, you should be able to get away. Use your sprint, it's an absolute crutch.

And stop trying to kill Halo. It's people like you that worry me, because 343 holds your opinion just as highly as someone that understands the game. Just stop posting.

[Edited on 02.14.2012 4:21 PM PST]

  • 02.14.2012 4:11 PM PDT

-Teraz Twoka kolej "Life is like a double-edged sword, you are one [side] of them"


sh­eithings, lolol
also, fu­srodahsucks

I agree with the OP, and definitely with the fact that the overpowered DMR is a hitscan weapon and that is the reason behind it being overpowered.

I play Halo 3 offhandedly, and as soon as I picked up a Battle Rifle I expected it to function exactly like the DMR. I went out into the open, and began firing at a distant hostile. The enemy sidestepped all my shots at that range, and I was forced to retreat back into cover lest I die from lack of shielding+getting shot to the face.

In Halo Reach I can walk out and practically snipe players that they had, for example, sniper rifles, a power weapon, and yet I was able to snipe them with the supposedly lowly DMR which is ironically a starter weapon that is counted as a power weapon due to how it functions.

As soon as they change the DMR and the Magnum in Halo Reach from hitscan to what Halo 3 had for it's BR, remove the bloom, and increase player walking/running speeds slightly to combat the slightly overpowered grenades (simply due to the fact that the grenades have the same radius stats as Halo 3 but the Spartans move slower and cannot escape grenade blasts as easily), while also having this final suggestion to be taken on-board:
You, as a player in an objective-based game will recieve NO credits if your team does not win. If your team does win however, all the credits that you have tallied up thus far in the game will be alloted to your earnings at the end of the game, providing you do not quit.

Then the Halo community will respond accordingly, there will be less quitties because they will realize that quitting=no rank ups, and that skill is re-implemented with the DMR and the Magnum. Strafing like a boss would actually work, and those who master the art of strafing whilst firing accurately will come off as the better players.

Also a final suggestion: EMP's dilivered from overcharged Plasma Pistol shots, Grenade Launchers or being shot out of Armour Lock with energy-based weapons nullify the ability to Armour Lock and forces any Armour Lock user out of Armour Lock, and disables the recharge for a considerable time. Maybe five seconds or so. That way players will reconsider their spawning with Armour Lock and decide whether they truly need it if there are hostile vehicles that they need to counter for.
Oh and make the Banshee's fuel rod cannon less effective against Spartans/Elites while also making the duel-linked plasma guns on it more effective.

inb4 tl;dr, but whoever actually reads this post feel free to suggest other changes and such. I don't consider myself completely right when it comes to what should be changed, as after all these are my opinions when it comes to what would make Halo Reach less of a clusterf#ck than it is now with all of it's OP weapons, vehicles and Armour Abilities. That is in my opinion anyway.

  • 02.14.2012 4:14 PM PDT
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If you like Armor Lock, you are a troll.


Posted by: ClearOrangeZero

Posted by: Wumpa Warrior
1., Meh, I find it much too easy to cross map people. I preferred both BR's from 2/3
H2 BR was hitscan and had the same range (maybe a little less, idk) as the DMR does now. Why wasn't cross mapping a problem in H2 then?


For the same reasons cross mapping hasn't been a problem in any Halo game.

  • 02.14.2012 4:14 PM PDT

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